Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: Please warn your readers that if they own a bird with a steel leg band, they should never attempt to remove it themselves The open space on those bands is dangerous because it can catch on toys, etc. But those bands must be removed by an avian veterinarian.

Keep the leg band along with all information on where you purchased the bird, dates, phone numbers, etc. Our avian veterinarian told me that with two pairs of vice grips he could barely bend it. I tried to bend it after he had taken it off my bird, and he was right! I couldn’t bend it. - Diane Glantz, Billings, Mont.

Our banded little feathered friends will appreciate your advice. - Heloise